Sunny Side Inn
Also known as: Sunny Side Oyster Bar
Why it's listed
At 1102 Washington Street in Williamston, a double front-gable frame building in the Craftsman style preserves an uncommon type of eastern North Carolina eatery. Theodore Roberson built it in 1929 as the Sanitary Service Market. In early 1931 he added a lunch room, the Sunny Side Inn, and between 1935 and 1940 a rear oyster bar was added with his sons. After his death in 1940 the market space was absorbed into the restaurant, and since 1945 it has been called the Sunny Side Oyster Bar. Original features include wooden booths, oak floors, beaded-board walls, a U-shaped bar with many original stools, and a steamer used since the 1940s. Of about sixteen oyster bars that operated in eastern towns between 1931 and 1950, it is the only one known to survive. Its architectural integrity and its place in regional oyster-bar history led to its listing under Criteria A and C.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is an authentic, well-preserved early twentieth-century eastern North Carolina oyster bar, and the only survivor of roughly sixteen such bars that operated in the region between 1931 and 1950. It is also a good example of a small-town cafe/oyster bar from before franchise restaurants. It qualifies under Criterion C for architectural integrity and Criterion A for its link to the history of oyster bars.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 95001396, listed November 29, 1995. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1102 Washington St., Williamston |
|---|---|
| County | Martin County |
| Listed | November 29, 1995 |
| Reference number | 95001396 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1929-1945 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Late 19th & Early 20th Century American: Craftsman |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Social History, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still operating as a restaurant (oyster bar); a rehabilitation restored the U-shaped bar and the steaming outbuildings were replaced in 1993. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 35.84226, -77.06267 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 95001396.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q24041068
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.